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| Tvisha Annem |
| Georgia Institute of Technology |
Imposter syndrome: a common experience in any career field. Whether you’re a student or in the workforce, you’ve probably felt that chronic sense of unworthiness. That crushed motivation can hold us back from reaching our full potential. But what if I told you imposter syndrome could actually be an advantage? It sounds surprising, but it’s true. Reframing your doubts could lead to unexpected success.
Let’s redefine imposter syndrome. It isn’t just a sense of crippling doubt and guilt that overwhelms you. Instead, it simply means that your competence is greater than your confidence (Grant, 2021). There’s a reason imposter syndrome is often viewed as a negative experience: it can prevent high achievers from reaching their full potential. However, by reframing it, we can use it to our advantage and build confidence along the way. The goal is for competence to eventually match confidence—without overdoing it, as competence less than confidence leads to arrogance.
Here’s how to turn imposter syndrome into an advantage:
- Imposter syndrome pushes you to work harder. If you’re in a position you feel unworthy of, or if you’re afraid of letting others down, you’re actually less likely to do so. Confidence often leads to complacency; without the worry of letting people down, we might unintentionally fall short. When you feel like an imposter, you strive to prove your worth. People with imposter syndrome are more likely to complete their work with efficiency and quality.
- Imposter syndrome makes you work smarter. When you doubt that you’ll find a solution, you have nothing to lose by trying a new approach. Feeling like an imposter puts you in a beginner’s mindset, encouraging you to question assumptions others may overlook. This perspective can lead you to innovative solutions and fresh idea.
- Imposter syndrome makes you a better learner. Doubts about your knowledge and skills make you more likely to seek insights from others (Bandura and Locke, 2003). Rather than stubbornly relying on what you already know, you’re more willing to adapt and adjust. Effective learning requires humility and the recognition that there’s always more to understand. Imposter thoughts remind us of what we have yet to learn.
Of course, some argue that imposter syndrome can be unhealthy and limiting, sometimes preventing people from even taking the first step toward their goals. This is true. So, in addition to using your doubts as motivation, it’s essential to build confidence. The best way to do that is by challenging yourself and achieving difficult goals.
Don’t wait for confidence to appear before you take on a challenge; confidence is built by embracing those challenges (Locke and Latham, 1990).
Use your imposter syndrome as fuel to try more, do more, and learn more. Somewhere along the way, you’ll surprise yourself with what you’re capable of. By consistently taking action, you’ll gradually dissolve imposter syndrome and build true, earned confidence. Uncertainty invites us to ask questions and explore new ideas. Embrace this curiosity and prove to yourself that you’re more than enough.
References
Bandura, A., Locke, E.A., 2003. Negative self-efficacy and goal effects revisited. Journal of Applied Psychology 88, 87–99. Grant, A., 2021. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know. Viking, Penguin Random House, New York, New
York.
Locke, E.A., Latham, G.P., 1990. A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Justin Dumouchelle for taking the time to review this article. Photo credit goes to Chris Yang for the header photo and Nubelson Fernandes for the footer photo.